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John 15What is a better day to talk about love than on a Mothers Day? A lot of times we think Mothers Day is for those who are moms, but its not really. Mothers Day is for those who have moms, whether here on Earth or up in Heaven. So who should celebrate Mothers Day? Everyone is blessed with mothers, mother figures, mother earth, and mothers of all kinds. So therefore let us all celebrate the love of a mother, collectively and together.As you all know the saying, God thought its hard for me be everywhere so lets just create a mother, who will take care of all that I want to take care of for a child. A Spanish proverb says, An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.Having said, that is why there should be a Mothers Day, because in our busyness of lives we are not able to keep up with relationships. Its one of those days that help us to hit a pause button.One issue thats happening is our fast paced lives. Parents, especially mothers, are not able to keep up with the younger people. A mother is almost another generation, who doesnt know the childs. So mom started to learn texting and has been keeping up with children and grandchildren. Here is what happens, Mom: Your great-aunt just passed away. LOL.Son: Why is that funny?Mom: Its not funny, David! What do you mean?Son: Mom, LOL means Laughing Out Loud.Mom: I thought it meant Lots of Love. I have to call everyone back.Similarly, one day Rishi, my 5 year old was playing this game with me. He would give me these clues about the characters and I was to guess who he is talking about. Of course I am just so clueless. Frustrated he said, Ma you know nothing.Yes, there is a gap. The only thing that fills that gap is a relationship. Mothers Day is nothing but the reminder of the relationships, as we move into the text, we will talk about that relationship as well that Jesus is talking about.If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. If we read the gospel text keenly, we will see that Jesus is making an inseparable connection between love and obedience. Although obedience sounds to be a power related word rather than love related word in our context, they are inseparable according Jesus. Jesus says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. In love, as I keep commandments of my father.Martin Luther says Grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone. Just to remind ourselves the main thesis of Martin Luther is that, by scripture alone, by faith alone, and by grace alone. This is the crux of his understanding of Christianity. He did not talk about law or the works that we need to do in order to qualify ourselves to get reward in heaven. This led many protestant Christians to take it easy on works, as though what we do, does not count at all. If that is our understanding, then we are sure, we are in a wrong path. Faith and works are inseparable, says Jesus. However, it is perhaps true that no human being, whatever good works they may do, cannot stand flawless in front of the Just God. Therefore, if we get salvation, it is only by grace, not because we are good enough to earn salvation. That makes sense!!! Right!!! But it does not make sense that one has faith in God, and love God and do not live a life that Jesus set before us through his own life. It is only natural that we obey the law, if we love God and have faith in Jesus. God so loved the world, so what did God do? He gave us his only son, the only way to love God is to abide in Jesus, to keep his commandments. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, meaning that we cannot have Jesus selectively here and there, but always with us in us and that would be reflected in our lives and in all that we do.A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When theVietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out this package. I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift. The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?There was silence...Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.But the auctioneer persisted. Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?Another voice angrily. We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!But still the auctioneer continued. The son! The son! Who'll take the son?Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. I'll give $10 for the painting. Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.We have $10, who will bid $20?Give it to him for $10, let's see the masters.The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. Going once, twice, SOLD for $10! A man sitting on the second row shouted, Now let's get on with the collection! The auctioneer laid down his gavel. I'm sorry, the auction is over.'' The others asked What about the paintings?' am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything! There was no other way around it.Similarly God gave us his only Son in love, and now there is a triangular relationship, if we abide in Jesus, Jesus abides in God, we abide in him. And also he gives us another triangular commandment, that is, just as I love you, you love your fellow beings.

In our head we must be thinking, how can that be possible? Your love is great God, mine is not. I cant love the people the same way you love me. Well, is that an option? We need to strive to keep the triangular relationship intact, only when it is complete. The relationship with self, with the other and with God. May God bless these words. Amen.